Chapter 356
by fanqienovelChapter 356: This Time, I Encountered the Founder of a Style!
“Wow, Theriodont!”
“No wonder its actions were so quick!”
This was the first time Trilobite truly felt he had a challenging opponent.
“Another star from the BBC documentary!”
“What a presence!”
The Theriodont lived during the late Permian period and belonged to the Therapsida order, specifically the Lystrasaurus family. It appeared in the BBC’s “Walking with Monsters” and “Ancient Invasion.”
In "Walking with Monsters," there was almost an entire episode dedicated to this terrifying giant beast.
They could grow to nearly four meters long and weigh around 400 kilograms, making them larger than any land-dwelling mammals that exist today.
Moreover, this giant beast completely changed the original "lizard-like" foundational form of the archosaurs.
With larger skulls and bigger temporal fenestra allowing more muscle attachment, they increased their bite force; their limbs also stood upright, resembling modern mammals.
The front and hind limbs were fairly proportionate; however, the structure of the limbs, especially the forelimbs, still showed some primitive characteristics, with a slight curvature.
Still, what captivated people most about the Lystrasaurus was the dynasty they founded—the first saber-toothed dynasty; it also created a very ferocious style—the saber teeth instant kill style!
Most Lystrasaurus had robust saber teeth that could crack armor and deliver instant kills to enemies.
This efficient weapon and hunting method pushed the archosaurs to their peak, making them the beast senpai of saber-toothed tigers long before the Permian period.
If the Theriodont existed today, taking down a brown bear would be no issue.
The BBC’s “Walking with Monsters” showcased their fearsome behavior in great detail.
However, that documentary exaggerated a bit.
The Theriodont was magnified to six meters and a ton!
The perfectly fine Theriodont was also called the Lystrasaurus.
As for the real Lystrasaurus…
Though it also had saber teeth and looked like a miniature version of the Theriodont, it was about the same size as a Siberian Husky.
The opponent Trilobite faced, who had quite the “presence,” was nearly at the maximum size for a Lystrasaurus.
With a length exceeding four meters and an estimated weight of over 400 kilograms, it could even reach 450 kilograms.
Though it was not as heavy as Trilobite’s half-ton, the difference wasn’t too great.
“On a hardware level, I was evenly matched with the Theriodont…”
“It had saber teeth, and so did I.”
“Whoever gets bitten first is the one who meets their end.”
“I had a slight advantage in weight, but that advantage was not enough to secure victory.”
“In agility, I was still at a disadvantage.”
The postosuchus was a clumsier hunter and certainly couldn’t compare in agility to the Theriodont.
Although the archosaurs, including mammals, were quite powerless in growing larger, they excelled in agility and flexibility.
Only the dinosaur-like creatures among all lizard-like creatures could rival the archosaurs in agility.
When the true beasts, representing the pinnacle of archosaur evolution, emerged, top contenders like terrestrial crocodiles and giant lizards fell one after another.
Even the dinosaurs that returned to land—the predatory terrestrial birds—met utter defeat.
"The only saving grace is that while Lystrasaurus comes close to true beasts, they hadn’t evolved narrowed or vanished lumbar ribs. Thus, they lacked the leaping agility of lions, tigers, or leopards."
"Besides, I’m a postosuchus with dinosaur-like air sacs—so I’m hardly inferior!"
"Then…"
"Strike first!"
Against the weak, exercise caution.
A lion uses full force even to catch a rabbit.
Never risk injury through carelessness.
But against the strong, gamble fiercely!
Stake everything!
The direr the disadvantage, the swifter the assault must be.
Pummel the foe with a tempest of blows, denying any chance to retaliate!
Overwhelm, crush, and batter them—leaving no room to exploit their strengths!
Trilobite acted accordingly.
"Roar—!"
Seizing the Theriodont’s dizziness from the brutal impact, he surged forward.
"Bang!"
Trilobite reared up, slamming his massive claws onto the Theriodont’s forehead.
"Roar—!"
The Theriodont shrieked, stumbling backward.
The blow struck hard—dizziness compounded upon existing disorientation!
"Stunned him again!"
"Press on!"
"Roar—!"
Trilobite charged anew, driving his colossal head downward, forcing the Theriodont into retreat.
Though dazed, the Theriodont instinctively braced its sturdy frame against the postosuchus’s onslaught.
Until…
"Boom—!"
The massive Theriodont crashed to the earth, felled by the even larger postosuchus.
Its gargantuan form flattened mountains and ravines, billowing immense dust clouds!
The earth shook wildly, making the Saraph people hundreds of miles away tremble violently.
“Roar!”
“Bang!”
Yet even greater tremors followed immediately!
Trilobite lunged forward, pinning the fallen Theriodont beneath his foot.
“Swish—!”
His terrifying saber teeth—inherited from Duncker’s fish and reforged through countless modifications—drove downward with a cold gleam.
“No—!”
“Boom—!”
Samikina shrieked, barely fending off the Giant God’s massive head with her forelimbs.
The stench of blood and death from those gaping jaws grew ever nearer!
And still they pressed forward—relentless, unstoppable!
“This…”
“What monstrous strength!”
“I’ve poured all my power into resisting! Burned through every ounce of magic to fortify myself! So why… why is he still stronger!?”
“Urgh… aaaaah!”
Dwelling on it was pointless; the enemy’s saber teeth inched closer while her own remained uselessly trapped.
Now only one vile trick remained—Saraph and the Tree of Reversal were still clutched in her grasp!
“Hey!”
“Stop this!”
“We’ve… got hostages!”
“You! You wouldn’t want Saraph to fall, would you? She’s in our hands!”
“That ‘Tree of Reversal’ holding your Great Plan? We’ve seized it too!”
“Think of all you’ve poured into them!”
“Without them, your scheme crumbles!”
“Release me! Or I’ll—”
“Agh—!”
“You—!”
Samikina’s threat died in her throat. The Giant God saw through her bluff, driving his saber teeth downward with cold determination.
The Theriodont’s forelimbs trembled, exhausted.
No strength remained to resist the Giant God’s murderous resolve.
Now only her magic sustained the defense, Magic Power draining rapidly as it stalled the assault.
Once her Magic Power ran dry—Samikina would fall!
“Damn you!”
“Think we’ll spare your ‘treasures’!?”
“Time you learned a lesson!”
“Amon!”
“Forget helping me!”
“But threaten him! Shake Saraph! Touch that Tree of Reversal!”
“Now!”
Yet at that very moment—trouble stirred where Amon stood.